O'Rourke, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Texas, crashed his car in 1998 and was eventually arrested for driving while intoxicated. The Texas Democrat has long acknowledged what he describes as a "serious mistake" for his DWI arrest. The Houston Chronicle, however, reported new details this year on the severity of the accident. A police report from the incident revealed a witness stated O'Rourke attempted to leave the scene after he crashed his vehicle.